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Snub for Iran eases nuclear crisis
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, dominated by China and Russia, has ended
Iran's hopes of joining the regional grouping. This comes at a critical turning
point when issues of peace and war hang by a thread. Yet the setback may be a
blessing in disguise for Tehran, which, through its new interlocutor for
communicating with Washington - Turkey - can now take fresh steps to resolve
the crisis over its nuclear program. - M K Bhadrakumar
(Jul 28, '08)
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Tehran seeks a new alignment
When the Non-Aligned Movement meets in Tehran this week it will be under
pressure to endorse Iran's quest to join the United Nations Security Council.
In return, Iran will be expected to show tangible signs of flexibility in
resolving the standoff over its nuclear program. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Jul 28, '08)
Pakistan feels the heat in
Washington
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani can expect a heated reception
during his meeting with US President George W Bush in Washington, given the
many top US policymakers who blame Islamabad for the deteriorating situation in
Afghanistan. The Pakistan government's bungled attempt to control its rogue
intelligence agency won't ease the atmosphere. - Syed Saleem Shahzad
(Jul 28, '08)
 SPENGLER
Why do nations exist?
The sovereign nation-state as defined by ethnicity and language might be a
flawed experiment, Spengler speculates after studying new books by noted
thinkers Jean Bethke Elshtain and Wayne Cristaudo. Perhaps the future of the
world lies in the supra-ethnic state, represented in quite different ways by
the United States, China and India. (Jul 28, '08)
Strongman tightens grip on
Cambodia
The Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen rode a booming economy
and a surge of Khmer nationalism to a landslide victory in Cambodia's general
election, securing 90 of 123 parliament seats and clinching a new era of
one-party rule. - Geoffrey Cain (Jul 28, '08)
 CAMPAIGN
OUTSIDER
If McCain were a Democrat ...
Senator John McCain's record would offer plenty of ammunition for the
Republican attack machine in the US presidential elections. They'd call him
everything from a traitor to a gold-plated hypocrite. – Muhammad Cohen
(Jul 28, '08)
India ripe for more attacks
Deadly bomb blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad, two cities that symbolize
India's growing economic might, appear also to have been aimed at stirring
communal riots. And all indications are that more attacks will follow if these
ones don't succeed in that goal. - Sudha Ramachandran
(Jul 28, '08)
You need Uncle Sam, Iraq told
Fighting back against Baghdad's demands for a timetable for the withdrawal of
United States troops from Iraq, the George W Bush administration and the US
military leadership are making it plain that the objectives of Iraq must
include continued dependence on US troops for an indefinite period. The riposte
could be too late: the era of Iraqi dependence on the US is already ending. - Gareth
Porter (Jul 25, '08)
THE MOGAMBO GURU
Blind to the obvious
When the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank president warns that running the printing
press to pay today's bills leads to much worse problems later on and says the
Fed will never, ever, allow the perception to take root that it is pursuing a
cheap-money strategy to accommodate fiscal burdens, you are driven to ask, "Why
the hell are we here?" (Jul 25, '08)
Pakistan draws a bead on Baitullah
After eliminating all opposition and consolidating his power in the South
Waziristan tribal area, hardline Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud is
extending his reach into other tribal areas. And to the major consternation of
leaders in Pakistan and coalition forces in Afghanistan, jihadis from around
the world are flocking to his cause. He's now a marked man. - Syed Saleem
Shahzad (Jul 25, '08)
Tainted love for the Tour de France
Successive drug scandals have battered the Tour de France with more blows to
its reputation than any other major sporting event. Still, each year it manages
to transfix fans with its scope and majesty, although there is always the
lingering feeling another scandal is just around the next hair-pin bend. - Jesse
Fink (Jul 25, '08)
New-age Chinatown has Laos on
edge
A proposed development near the center of the Laotian capital of Vientiane is
raising concerns about the growing influence of China over its southern
neighbor, with Chinese workers set to play a major role in construction of the
project's shops, factories and hotels, and perhaps staying on in the new homes
being built. - Brian McCartan (Jul 25, '08)
 SEX
IN DEPTH
Pedophiles get tech-savvy
New technology has transformed the nefarious world of child pornography with
tech-savvy pedophiles now using digital cameras, encryption and the Internet to
anonymously transfer material - making for a complex and daunting crime that
continues to outpace authorities. - William Sparrow
(Jul 25, '08)
Taliban winning the war of words
The media battle in Afghanistan between Taliban-led anti-government militants
and pro-government forces has claimed a victim, that of credibility. All the
same, a new report shows, the Taliban are winning the propaganda battle hands
down, with dire ramifications for the embattled government of President Hamid
Karzai. - Aunohita Mojumdar (Jul 25, '08)
 CHAN
AKYA
A Turkish theater for
World War III
Turkey has been sold to the Saudis at a bargain price for Riyadh's assistance
to the George W Bush administration in pushing down the price of oil ahead of
the United States presidential elections this year. The path chosen is the same
as that used to turn Pakistan into a breeding ground for terrorists, with an
accelerated timetable in keeping with a preset script. Around the corner, a
civilizational war beckons. (Jul 24, '08)
COMMENT
For Iran, respect above all else
Iranian leaders have placed clear emphasis on the importance of the respect
displayed by representatives of the countries dealing with Tehran's nuclear
portfolio, including the United States. This goes to the heart of the
difficulties in dealing with Iran, and offers a path that could lead to
unexpected breakthroughs, including Tehran's ties with Israel. - Kaveh L
Afrasiabi (Jul 24, '08)
Taking the high ground at Preah
Vihear
In just weeks, Cambodia has gone from celebrating in the streets over the
listing of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site to a tense military stand-off
with neighboring Thailand over the ancient Hindu temple. But ahead of its
most-stable general elections this Sunday, Cambodia has acted with unheard of
maturity. The real fallout from the fracas may be in Thailand. - Craig Guthrie
(Jul 24, '08)
THE ROVING EYE
Al-Qaeda's got a brand new bag
United States Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama has got it
right - Afghanistan, and not Iraq, is "the central front in the war on terror".
Al-Qaeda couldn't agree more. That is exactly where they want the war to be
fought, and then extended into Pakistan. - Pepe Escobar
(Jul 23, '08)
Fraud and the subprime bubble
Theories abound for the cause of the US subprime crisis, with the alleged
culprits ranging from greedy corporations to rating agencies. Yet fraud lies at
the core of the crisis, with the firms now being blamed as primary perpetrators
actually being among the victims. - George Pugh
(Jul 23, '08)
COMMENT
Wary of China, Russians look West
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made all the right noises during his recent
visit to China. But for many Russians back home, China, with its vast
potentially expansionist population, is viewed with fear, and they see their
natural allies in Europe. - Dmitry Shlapentokh
(Jul 23, '08)
Unsolicited advice for Bush on Iran
Two leading lights of Washington's so-called "realist" foreign-policy
establishment have called on the George W Bush administration to drop demands
that Tehran freeze uranium enrichment as a precondition for further talks. The
joint statement seems timed to show strong bipartisan support for enhanced US
engagement. - Jim Lobe (Jul 23, '08)
Russia is key to North Korea's
plight
Whether Kim Jong-il is able to rescue North Korea again from a looming
catastrophe depends on his ability to quickly find access to relatively cheap
fuel and energy. Russia is already helping, but unless it includes South Korea
in oil, gas, railway and exploitation projects, its progress will be limited. - Leonid
Petrov (Jul 23, '08)
Plot to divide the Taliban foiled
A plan by the Pakistan government, with connivance from Saudi Arabia, to split
the Taliban operating in Pakistan's tribal areas has failed spectacularly, with
the "renegade" Taliban leader and his network wiped out by al-Qaeda-backed
militants. The incident has consolidated the hold of Taliban leader Mullah
Omar, while al-Qaeda is benefiting through a sharp increase in jihadis from
around the world heading for the tribal regions. - Syed Saleem Shahzad
(Jul 22, '08)
McCain knee-capped by Maliki
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's endorsement of Senator Barack Obama's timetable
for American combat forces to leave Iraq has been described as a "body blow" to
the campaign of rival US presidential candidate Senator John McCain. Obama can
now claim to have staked out a position acceptable to the Iraqi government, and
he is fast shedding his "naive" tag. - Jim Lobe (Jul
22, '08)
Bush team turns to the dark side
The George W Bush administration, after almost eight years of proclaiming an
unassailable faith in the wisdom of the markets, has gone for a deal with the
dark side by turning against short sellers. The US government should be
protecting, not persecuting, those who on a regular basis have the courage and
wisdom to think independently. - Julian Delasantellis(Jul
22, '08)
China stirs over offshore
oil-pact
China's protests at ExxonMobil's move to explore for oil in the seas off
Vietnam raise anew the dispute surrounding control of the Spratly and Paracel
islands and interest in the role of China's deep-water navy.- Peter Navarro
(Jul 22, '08)
THE BEAR'S LAIR
The death-knell of Bernankeism
The most recent US price data show inflation securely in the 1970s framework.
That means it is no longer possible to inflate the money supply by pretending
that inflation in the real economy is not a problem. Other means will have to
be found to perpetuate the shell-game. - Martin Hutchinson(Jul
22, '08)
A small step in Iran's nuclear
talks
Iran and the European Union's representative will follow up the weekend's talks
on Tehran's nuclear program with further contact. This prepares the ground for
real, and serious, progress in the nuclear standoff, despite what the skeptics
say. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Jul 22,
'08)
US keeps Taiwan at arm's length
With Taiwan and China exploring their first real chance in eight years to
improve ties, the United States is worried that a big arms sales package might
destabilize talks and give China an excuse to object. The result is a blanket
freeze on a 2001 weapons deal worth about US$12 billion - an unprecedented move
in Taiwan-US relations. - David Isenberg (Jul
22, '08)
Towards Hun Sen's Cambodia
Phnom Penh's streets are a kaleidoscope of competing political colors ahead of
Sunday's general elections, but the underlying picture is more of black and
white. Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian People's Party have
consolidated their hold over the electorate through a masterful opera of jibes,
scaremongering and gold-toothed charm. - Craig Guthrie
(Jul 22, '08)
 ASIA
HAND
Asia's inflationary winners
and losers
Rising inflation in Asia threatens the hard-won gains made in the region since
its financial crisis of a decade ago. A repeat of that meltdown is unlikely -
at least for those countries willing to let their currencies strengthen. - Shawn
W Crispin (Jul 21, '08)
 SUN
WUKONG
Tilting at China's red windmills
"When a man is about to die, his words are true," claims part of an ancient
Chinese proverb. With such wisdom in mind, China might want to take a closer
look at certain whistle-blowing officials who have used their imminent sacking
or retirement to expose deep problems within the tangled bureaucracy. - Wu Zhong
(Jul 15, '08)
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China
narrows
ASEAN trade gap
China, which imports more from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asia
Nations than it exports to them, moved closer to a trade surplus with its
junior neighbors in the first five months of this year, even as wages at home
accelerated, driving up production costs.
COMMENT
Bailout cure worse
than disease
The US government bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac eliminates all
market-based deterrents to reckless lending for conforming loans, and with
American homes still overvalued, their prices can be pushed up only with
reckless lending and inflation. The cure will kill us, not the disease. - Peter
Schiff
 VIDEO
Peter Schiff predicts the coming US housing crisis, in
November 2006.
CREDIT BUBBLE BULLETIN
Just the facts
A week of hyper-volatility ended with mostly slight declines in the major
averages, as the markets absorbed the implications of the Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac rescue package. Smaller companies, however, as captured by the
Russell 2000, strengthened, even as reports said loans were increasingly
difficult to come by.
Doug Noland looks at the previous week's events each Monday.
THE WEEK AHEAD
 The
problems-solving Paulson package
The Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac rescue package from US Treasury Secretary Henry
Paulson solves all of our problems, with unlimited funds to be spent with total
secret discretion and the option to whack enemies with utter immunity.
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MARKET RAP
Much ado about nothing
Asian stocks showed plenty of volatility over the past few trading days, but
after all that activity the markets failed to break through significant
medium-term strategic resistances. (Jul 25, '08)
R M Cutler runs his eye over the ups and downs in the week's markets.
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ATol Specials
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VIDEO
Taliban's new breed of leader
(May '08) |
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The
Gates
Inheritance
By
Roger Morris
(June '07) |
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Syed Saleem Shahzad reports on
the Afghan war from the Taliban side
(Dec '06)
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How
Hezbollah defeated Israel
By
Mark Perry and
Alastair Crooke
(Oct '06)
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Mark
Perry and
Alastair Crooke
talk to the 'terrorists'
(Mar '06)
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China:
The
Impossible
Revolution
By
Francesco Sisci
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The Coming
Trade War
By Henry C K Liu
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A series
by Henry C K Liu
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Sinoroving
Pepe Escobar in China
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Money, Power
and
Modern Art
A series by Henry C K Liu
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Andre Gunder Frank on Uncle Sam and his
shrinking dollar
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By Pepe Escobar with
photographs by Kevin Nortz
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Nir Rosen goes inside the Iraqi
resistance
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Nir Rosen rides with the US 3rd
Armored Cavalry in western Iraq
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permission.
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